Lubricating device for gas meters



Nov. 20, 1956 H. WUSTEFELD 3 01 LUBRICATING DEVICE FOR cAs METERS Filed. July 7, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 20, 1956 H. WUSTEFELD LUBRICATING DEVICE FOR GAS METERS Filed July 7,

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent LUBRICATINGl DEVICE FOR GAS lVlETERS Heinrich ,Wiistefeld; ,Munich; ,Germany, assignor to Keneth RohertMarsden Application July 7, 1953,,S erial No. 366,589,

2 Claims. (Cl. 73 -272) The invention" relates to alubricating device for gas meters provided with slide plates for regulating and measuring the quantity of the gas.

The main object of the invention is to provide improvements of the lubricating device whereby the lubricant is automatically supplied to the slide plates in timely periods.

A further object of the invention is to reduce the friction between the movable parts of the meter, to lessen its wear and thereby to extend the lifetime thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a slide plate arrangement whereby the slide plate surfaces are partly liberated from the dead weight of the slide plates.

It is also an object of the invention to reduce the production costs of the meter.

Additional objects and advantages will become apparent as this description proceeds.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, showing a preferred embodiment of the invention:

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the gas meter;

Fig. 2 is -a plan view on line IIII of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the slide plate seat used in conformity with the invention;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a slide plate; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line VI-VI of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary, enlarged view partly in section of the lubricant valve and the cam actuator therefor.

An angular roof-shaped intermediate bottom 1 consisting of two inclined halves is located inside of casing 31; this intermediate bottom 1 is provided with two gas passages. Therefore, the intermediate bottom is composed of two halves, which are mutually inclined at about 60 degrees from the middle plane of the casing to its outer walls, as shown in Fig. 1.

Each of these two halves carries a pivot2 fastened to the bottom by a clamp ring 28, as shown in Fig. 4. Furthermore, the gas passages 36 of the intermediate bottom are provided with annular border strips 3 and with radial ribs 4, which extend to the gas passages in a radial direction as apparent from Fig. 3.

A slide plate 5 carries a slide cap 6; this slide plate is supported on pivot 2 and border strips 3 and ribs 4, which form a slide plate seat having a sliding face. A bent ledge 8 having a cut-out on its inner side contacts the border strip 3 to form a channel for feeding a lubricant to the sliding face, whereby the lubricant flows down on the inclined parts of the slide plate.

An oscillating movement of each slide plate is effected by a membrane located inside of the casing and its movement will be transmitted to the slide plate in a manner similar to that, which is used in the customary gas meters with horizontally arranged slide plates. Each membrane (not shown in the drawing) is connected with an impulse bar 9 supplied with a one armed lever 10 and connected by a slide rod 11 with its associated slide cap 6. A crank rod 12 is carried at the end of the lever 10 and connected forming a droplet.

2,770,970 Patented Nov. 20, 1956 2." with a crank 13 on thecshaftl4 situatedabove the-intermediate bottom. 1.

The lid 18ofthe casing-31formsacontainer- ISa-for the lubricant together. with a. vaulted-bottom; 26 Which carries the gear box 16; the toothed wheel-16a is-located outside the gear boxand meshes with -a.,whe,el17 fixed on the shaft 14 whichdrives the-measuring device of the meter provided in the casing 15:. I

The gears arranged inside of the gear box 16 are. exchangeably mounted toadapt the quantity. of the lubricant to the type of theme-asuring device used-inthe'gasi meter.

The supply of lubricant to thesslide platesis accomplishedin the following manner.

The driven shaft 32v of the, gear box. 16 supports a rotating; disc 33 located above-a cup 34; the latteris connected with channel-shapedguides-7,,which in their, turn terminate next to the ledges 8. A groove 19 is provided in the middle portion of rotating disc 33, which conducts the lubricant flowing from the container 18a to cup 34. Groove 19 is interrupted at one place by a cam 20, which governs the outlet device of the container as will be explained more fully hereinafter.

This outlet device consists of a valve 27 pressed by a spring 27a against its seat in the vaulted bottom 26. The valve 27 has on its lower sode a cylindrical projection 21, which slides in a cylinder 22 fixed on the bottom 26, and which is equipped with a spiral groove 23. During each revolution of disc 33 its cam 20 lifts cylindrical projection 21 of valve 27 to admit a small quantity of lubricant into groove 23. The dimensions of this groove are relatively small, so that the lubricant is dammed up in the groove and it is forced to flow slowly to point 24 thereby This droplet falls from point 24 on a splitting body 25 provided in cup 34. In this manner both slides receive lubricant through tubular, channelshaped guides 7 and the channel in ledges 8.

The container 18a is filled with a quantity of lubricant which is sufficient for an operative period of five years.

The arrangement of the inclined slide plates has different advantages especially in combination with an automatic feed of lubricant in the form of droplets. The dead weight of the slide plates is partly neutralized by their inclined arrangement and therewith the friction pressure exerted onto the sliding faces will be reduced, without causing lifting of the slide by the gas pressure. The use of a pivot has the advantage, that further guiding elements and the friction of these elements is eliminated. The uniform movement of the slide plate is secured by the pivot and by the lubricating sliding faces, upon which the oil passes down automatically from the highest point, which is provided with lubricant.

The arrangement of the border strips and the ribs has the advantage that the passages for entrance and exit of gas will be opened in the manner of a shears and without exertion of an impact upon the gas, which is significant for a quiet sliding of the plates.

Since certain changes may be-made in the above article and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to be secured by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. In a gas meter, a casing having an upper portion, a doubly inclined intermediate bottom having passages for the gas to be metered, said intermediate bottom being fixed inside of said casing, pins on said intermediate bottom, each being disposed adjacent one of said passages, slide plates rotatably arranged upon said pins, driving means connected with said slide plates to cause them to oscillate in such a manner as to uncover said passages alternately, a reducing gear train connected with said driving means, an upper bottom fixed inside said casing in the upper portion thereof to form a container for a lubricant, a lubricant outlet valve disposed in said upper bottom, opening means for said valve connected with said reducing gear train to lift said valve periodically to permit a predetermined portion of the lubricant to escape from said container, said opening means including a rotating disc coupled to said reducing gear train and operated thereby, said rotating disc having a groove in the circumference thereof, a cam fixed to said disc and rotating therewith, said valve being provided with an extension projecting therefrom and having a spiral groove along its circumference, and a hollow guide for the extension of said valve and fixed to said upper bottom, said rotating disc being disposed below and adjacent to the extension of said valve, whereby the cam of said disc will lift said valve once during each revolution of said disc to admit lubricant to said spiral groove, said rotating disc being further disposed to direct the lubricant in the form of droplets to lubricate said slide plates.

2. In a dry gas meter as defined in claim 1, a cup disposed below said rotating disc, splitting means disposed inside of said cup to split the droplets of lubricant from said disc, and channel-shaped guide members provided between said cup and said intermediate bottom above and adjacent to said slide plates to guide the lubricant droplets from said disc to said guide plates.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 239,525 McMullen Mar. 29, 1881 1,108,140 Cornine Aug. 25, 1914 FOREIGN PATENTS 282,964 Great Britain Jan. 5, 1928 395,184 Great Britain July 13, 1933 

